A GUIDE TO SKY MUSTER SERVICES
SECOND EDITION
Australian Communications
Consumer Action Network
WEBSITE: accan.org.au
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TELEPHONE: +61 (0)2 9288 4000
ACCAN is the peak body that represents all consumers oncommunications issues including telecommunications, broadbandand emerging new services. We provide a strong, unified voice toindustry and government as we work towards availability, accessibilityand affordability of communications services for all Australians.
This work is copyright, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia Licence. You are free to cite, copy, communicate and adapt this work, so long as you attribute “Australian Communications Consumer Action Network”. To view a copy of this license, visit This guide has been prepared on the basisof information available at the time of publishing. Information is subject to change and further refinement. Check for current information with service providers when making decision about phone or broadband services.
Published April 2016 - Updated October 2016
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
The Basics
Am I eligible for services?
What if my address is not on the nbn website but I think it should be?
How do satellite broadband services work?
How do I order a service?
What services will work over Sky Muster?
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER AND ASK YOUR PROVIDER
Will nbn be offering services for children’s education and community use?
What do I do if something goes wrong?
I am due to get satellite, but I would rather have fixed wireless. What are my options for alternative nbn networks?
What to expect from a Sky Muster broadband service
Are there things I will not be able to do?
Will Sky Muster work during weather conditions?
Will speeds and performance on Sky Muster be better than previous services?
Switching from another satellite service
What is the process for switching from another satellite service to Sky Muster?
Will my current bill end on the same day as the Sky Muster bill starts?
I am currently on ISS. If my installation is delayed or if I wait to switch, will the ISS speed improve as other consumers migrate off?
Choosing a retail service provider
Will there be a difference in the level of performance between providers?
How can I compare providers?
Choosing a plan that suits your needs
The key things to look out for in a plan:
Voice services
What is VoIP?
What costs are associated with VoIP?
Can I contact Triple Zero (000) and 106 Emergency Call Services using VoIP?
Can I get priority assistance services?
Can I use disability equipment over VoIP?
Can I keep my number with a VoIP service?
Will there be a difference in the quality of service between VoIP and my current voice service?
Can I bundle Sky Muster services with my current voice service?
Can I just get a VoIP service and not a broadband plan?
Getting Connected
Do I contact nbn about a connection?
What is the process for getting connected?
How do I prepare for the installation?
What happens on installation day?
How big are the satellite dishes?
Is there a waiting list available to see how long it takes to get a service before signing up?
Can I use my current equipment?
What power is required to run the equipment?
What if my house is not a standard installation?
Interruptions, faults and repairs
What if the service stops working?
Who is responsible for services; nbn or the service provider?
What if I don’t get the speeds and performance that I was expecting?
Is there equipment that I can purchase that will improve my experience of the service?
What if the dish or wiring gets damaged?
What are my consumer rights?
Remote and Isolated Communities and Distance Education
My child receives distance education, what service will they receive and when?
Is this available for other education services, such as university?
Who to contact, complaints and further information
How to effectively complain and ensure your rights?
Where do I get more information?
Privacy and Security
The Basics
Sky Muster (or nbn’s Long Term Satellite Service) will provide fast broadband coverage to three per cent (or around 400,000) of homes and small businesses across regional and remote Australia and its islands.
Am I eligible for services?
Eligibility to obtain these services can be checked on the nbn website.
Consumers currently using satellite services (such as Interim Satellite Service (ISS), Australian Broadband Guarantee (ABG) or National Satellite Scheme (NSS)) will be able to switch to the Sky Muster service (some consumers may receive other technology such as Fixed Wireless). See ‘Switching from another satellite service’ for more details.
What if my address is not on the nbn website but I think it should be?
You should contact a Retail Service Provider (RSP) and discuss your eligibility with them.
How do satellite broadband services work?
The Sky Muster satellites will provide a connection between customer houses and RSPs. When you request to access information from your house, the request is sent from your satellite dish to the satellite 35,786kms above the equator. The signal then travels to one of nbn’s ground stations which connect to your RSP and finally the internet. Information is then sent back to your device in the reverse direction.
To find out more information on what to expect from Sky Muster services see ‘What to expect from a Sky Muster broadband service’.
How do I order a service?
Services can be ordered now. To get connected:
- Check if you are eligible (nbn website)
- Choose a retail service provider (see ‘Choosing a retail service provider’) and plan that suits your needs (see ‘Choosing a plan that suits your needs’)
- Get Connected (see 'Getting Connected' for more information).
What services will work over Sky Muster?
Broadband services will work over Sky Muster.
You may be offered other services, such as phone services (called VoIP). See ‘Voice services’ for more details.
Existing phone and internet services delivered over copper, radio and wireless technologies may continue to be offered in these areas and you can keep these services. These may be needed for services that will not work over Sky Muster, such as medical alarms.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER AND ASK YOUR PROVIDER
- Can I use all my current services with this plan?
- How long will it take to get connected?
- What do I need to do to prepare my property for connection?
- Will my other satellite equipment be uninstalled at the same time?
- When will the billing start?
- What speed level will I get on average with this plan during peak and
off peak hours? - Apart from the monthly charge, what other fees do I need to pay?
- Do I need to purchase a new router?
- Can I get VoIP services? Is the router set to ensure quality voice services?
- How do I access my data tracking service?
- Will there be any additional charges for connecting or fault repairs?
- Is my property a standard installation? Can I cancel the service, without
charge, if I am not a standard installation? - Do you offer service guarantees for fault rectification and outages?
Will nbn be offering services for children’s education and community use?
Yes. Internet plans are available for distance education children. See ‘Remote and Isolated Communities and Distance Education’ for more information.
What do I do if something goes wrong?
You should contact your RSP if something goes wrong. See 'Interruptions, faults and repairs' for further information on what to do if something goes wrong and 'Who to contact, complaints and further information for contact details.
I am due to get satellite, but I would rather have fixed wireless. What are my options for alternative nbn networks?
If you wish to consider an alternative technology rather than satellite, nbn offers a ‘technology choice’ program. There are two possibilities. The first is area switch. This is where a number of properties in an area collectively pay to receive a different technology. The second is individual switch, where one property pays to switch technology.
Both of these options can cost a significant amount of money. Costs range from a few hundred thousand dollars to millions of dollars, depending on the complexity and size of the switch required.
What to expect from a Sky Muster broadband service
The Sky Muster satellite was purpose-built to provide a fast broadband connection to Australian homes and businesses, so it is expected to perform to a higher standard than previous satellite services.
With Sky Muster services you will be able to take advantage of a broader range of services available over the internet, such as listening to radio, data voice calls (called Voice over IP or VoIP), tele-health and streaming movies as well as checking email, browsing the internet, banking online, and accessing government websites.
Are there things I will not be able to do?
Due to the distance of the satellite, services which require instant communication may be not as responsive as an earth based network. This time delay is called latency. Activities such as voice calls and online interactive gaming may be affected.
Will Sky Muster work during weather conditions?
Sky Muster, like all satellite services, is affected by weather conditions. The weather at your house and at the ground station, such as rain, storms, cloud cover and dust may all affect services. nbn has specially designed the dishes to adapt to different circumstances, such as storms. However, you might experience lower performance levels during weather conditions and there may be periods where the service does not work.
You should be aware of this if Sky Muster is your only source of communication. Alternative options should be considered in cases of emergencies.
Will speeds and performance on Sky Muster be better than previous services?
It is expected that services will perform better and be more reliable. Sky Muster is offering two speed levels: 12/1Mbps and 25/5Mbps. This is faster than current satellite services, which offer up to 6Mbps.
Switching from another satellite service
If you have an Interim Satellite Service (ISS), Australian Broadband Guarantee (ABG) or National Satellite Subsidy (NSS) and are eligible, then you can migrate to Sky Muster.
Some houses with these services may be eligible to receive Fixed Wireless and will be offered this service instead.
nbn will un-install and remove ISS equipment free of charge. They will also repair any damage left by the ISS equipment. ISS services will be switched off when Sky Muster connections are activated. ISS services are expected to end early 2017.
If you have ABG, NSS or other satellite services the nbn technician can uninstall the equipment for a fee. It is your responsibility to dispose of the equipment.
Consumers with other satellite services, such as offered by IPSTAR or Telstra, may also switch to Sky Muster. Contact your retail service provider regarding your options to end your current service.
What is the process for switching from another satellite service to Sky Muster?
Consumers will follow the same procedure;
- Check eligibility on the nbn website
- Choose a retail service provider and plan that suits your needs
- Get connected
Will my current bill end on the same day as the Sky Muster bill starts?
Perhaps. You should check with your retail service provider when the billing periods will begin for Sky Muster and end for other services (ISS, ABG, and NSS). This may depend on whether or not you are switching retail service providers.
I am currently on ISS. If my installation is delayed or if I wait to switch, will the ISS speed improve as other consumers migrate off?
No. As customers migrate to Sky Muster the capacity of ISS will be reduced, so no increased speeds or data levels are expected on the ISS service.
Choosing a retail service provider
Currently you can choose from 8 different retail service providers. They are:
Activ8me
ANT communications
Border net
Clear Networks
Harbour ISP
IPSTAR
Reachnet
Sky Mesh
Will there be a difference in the level of performance between providers?
Yes, providers differ on the level of performance offered depending on the number of customers they have and how much they have invested in their service. It is not expected that each retail service provider will offer the same level of service. Therefore, you should check that the level of service offered matches what you need.
How can I compare providers?
There are a number of sites which you can use to compare retail providers:
- Product Review
- Whirlpool
- For video streaming, Google Video Quality Report
Choosing a plan that suits your needs
It is important to pick a plan that matches your needs. Consider what services you are currently using and what you want your broadband plan to deliver.
You should make sure that all the services you want will work over Sky Muster. Some may not work and you may need to keep an existing telecommunications service. Check with your retail service provider if you are unsure.
IMPORTANT!
Services will not work in power outages.
Consider what alternative arrangements you need in case of power outages.
The key things to look out for in a plan:
Speeds
There are two speed levels that you can choose from;
- 12 (down) /1 (up) Mbps and
- 25 (down) /5 (up) Mbps.
WHAT ARE DOWNLOAD AND UPLOAD SPEEDS?
Speed is a measurement of the amount of data that can be sent to and from you in a second.
The quoted levels are the maximum speed that is achievable for the connection. Speed levels are not consistent and they often vary. The actual speed that you receive will vary depending on a number of factors, such as the type of information you are sending, the time of day, the number of applications sending and receiving files on your devices, your retail service provider and the number of other customers using the service.
For further information on performance, check out our information.
TIPS ON PICKING A SPEED TIER THAT SUITS YOU
If you download sizeable amounts of information (for example high definition movies or gaming), then the faster speed will likely mean that you are waiting less time for this information to be received.
If you only need the internet to access information that is small in size (for example basic websites, emails, individual songs, telephone calls), then the entry speed level might suit you perfectly.
If you are sending lots of files (for example if you operate a small business that updates websites or regularly sends important documents), then fast upload speeds are important for you.
EXAMPLE
The following graphic gives an estimate in the difference higher speeds might make for an activity. These times are estimates and may be affected by other factors, such as other people being online.
Downloading a standard definition movie (1.5GB)
Data
There are a number of plans available, offering allowances up to 150GB per month.
Note that both sent and received data (i.e. uploads and downloads) is counted in the allowance.
TIPS FOR PICKING A DATA ALLOWANCE THAT SUITS YOU
How much data you need depends on what you do and how long you spend online.
You should examine your previous bills to see how much data you have used for the last few months as a basis to calculate how much data you will need.
Checking email and browsing the internet uses very little data, watching videos uses sizeable data amounts, while gaming can quickly use up a lot of data.
Here are some estimated usages by activity as a guide: [note: 1024MB = 1GB]
Activity / Data usageEmail (100 sent/received without attachments) / 2.5MB
Music streaming (3 minutes) / 3MB
Radio streaming (10 minutes) / 15MB
Email (10 sent/received with attachments) / 18MB
General web browsing (30 minutes) / 10 - 20MB
YouTube video streaming (5 minutes) / 25MB
Audiobook (9 hours) / 110MB
Downloading standard definition TV show
(45 minutes) / 200MB
Downloading standard definition movie
(2 hours) / 1 - 1.5GB
Downloading high definition movie (2 hours) / 3 - 4.5GB
Downloading a game (e.g. for Xbox or PS4) / 20 - 50GB
The average Australian uses 69GB of data a month (June 2015). Consumers who have an nbn connection tend to use more data, so it may be worthwhile considering a plan with more data than your existing plan. The average nbn user uses 131GB of data a month (June 2016)
Peak / Off peak
Plans divide the data allowance between peak and off peak times. Peak hours are between 7am and 1am at your local time (18 hours of the day). Off peak hours are between 1am and 7am at your local time (6 hours of the day).
Plans that offer data usage in off peak times are often better value for money, but may be at a time that does not suit your needs. Peak hours are likely to be the hours when you most want to use the internet.
Set up, equipment and other fees
Your retail service provider may charge other costs, besides the monthly cost, such as for set-up, equipment (router or Analogue Telephone Adaptor (ATA) for VoIP) or early termination fees. You should carefully check all the possible fees that apply with each plan as they differ with each retail service provider.
Length of contract
Some contracts are available month to month, while others have a minimum duration (such as one or two years). Longer contracts may not have up front equipment and connection fees, but will charge if you terminate the service early.